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Will the 'Disco Sport' live up to the hype?

Land Rover Discovery 2015 Aggregated Reviews

We love:

Chic exterior

Dynamic capability

Off-road ability

Optional third row of seats

Pain points:

Third row of seats are pretty tight for adults

Factory add ons are expensive

Land Rover Discovery 2015 review

Land Rover "the world's most awarded 4x4", but how does the 2015 'Disco Sport' fit into the brimming family SUV market? We'll take a look at what it can do and whether it's an option you can add to your list.

Exterior of the Land Rover Discovery 2015

Ruggedly handsome, this capable large SUV backs up its outdoorsy peacocking with genuine toughness and form. The white Sport paint was the only standard option, with other colours costing more.

Image courtesy of Car Advice

The optional factory snorkel will let you tackle river crossings up to 600 millimetres with ease. For serious 4WDing you can also option the reliable 9.5XP WARN winch from Land Rover, fully fitted for about $6,100 (note that you can also buy these fitted from a 4x4 store for about $3,000 if you're willing to forgo the factory warranty).

This is the first SUV to have a pedestrian airbag in the bonnet.

Inside the Land Rover Discovery 2015

Blending heavy-duty floor mats and hardwearing plastics into a luxurious interior, this highly practical SUV is something special. There's air vents for the second row, and vents can be optioned for the third row if you think you'll use them quite a bit. The third row isn't super spacious, so it's best for children.

The optional third row of seats can fold completely flat, while the second row can slide 160 millimetres to increase the luggage space. Adding this third row will mean that you get a space saver rather than a full-size spare wheel. The second row of seats can be split 60/40, and slide and recline separately to open up 1,698 litres of space.

The driving position is very high, and with six cup holders, a large glove box, bins at the centre stack and armrests, as well as seat pockets, you can stash small items conveniently. Without the third row, the boot holds between 479 and 689 litres depending on the seat positioning.

Connectivity

The 8-inch touchscreen lets you use apps and satellite navigation. Bluetooth phone and audio streaming plays through the 10-speaker audio system. You can upgrade to the 17 speaker Meridian surround sound system with DAB+ radio as an option in the HSE Luxury model.

Trip info - Image courtesy of Car Advice

There's also satellite navigation and a reversing camera.

What's it like to drive a Land Rover Discovery 2015?

The brilliant Land Rover Terrain Response system gives this vehicle the best off-road ability in a luxury family SUV. Find yourself mid-stream and the 'wade sensor' displays how deep the water is on the sat nav screen. There's plenty of power from the drivetrain, 0 to 100 kilometres an hour being covered in 8.8 seconds.

Off road, steep climbs and rocky terrain are navigated using hill-descent control leaving the driver responsible for just steering the Land Rover Discovery, though you can override the system by using the brakes or accelerator.

For city driving, the stop-start system reducing emissions from 230 to 213 grams per kilometres of CO2. There's also blind spot monitoring and T-junction cameras for urban safety. Paddle shifters give you some control over gear changes, and overtaking at freeway speeds is a breeze.

Land Rover Discovery in red - Image courtesy of Car Advice

The steering has been recalibrated, and it's more direct and better weighted, complementing the improved ride quality on the updated multi-link rear suspension. Cornering requires some patience as the weight and height of the Land Rover Discovery gives it slow steering and a bit of body roll. The turning circle is conveniently tight at just 11.6 metres.

Who's the Land Rover Discovery 2015 for?

This car is for anyone who's safety conscious, with six internal airbags and one passenger airbag at the bonnet.

For the weekend adventurer, it's the perfect companion to take you from the mid-week urban office run right to the roughest and steepest terrain you might want to explore. With the right factory or aftermarket options, the Land Rover Discovery is up for some serious off-roading.

Tom Caesar is the Managing Director of The Positive Group, a group of Australian financial services companies offering a broad range of finance to clients Australia wide. The Positive Group assist clients in the areas of car finance, mortgages, insurance & wealth management. Tom has been in car & asset finance for over 10 years. Tom regularly contributes articles on car finance, insurance, technology and business growth, drawing on his experience of starting his own brokerage in 2009.